


dance, and traditions under moonlight

by dedueitwithmustard



Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Dancing Lessons, Khalid von Riegan, M/M, dancing in the moonlight, idk how to tag, mentions of claude's background, mentions of colorism, this is so stupid i just wanted to write dimiclaude dancing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-26
Updated: 2020-03-26
Packaged: 2021-02-28 22:41:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,186
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23324896
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dedueitwithmustard/pseuds/dedueitwithmustard
Summary: Khalid loves to dance, so he decides to teach Dimitri some tricks.
Relationships: Dimitri Alexandre Blaiddyd/Claude von Riegan
Comments: 6
Kudos: 72





	dance, and traditions under moonlight

**Author's Note:**

> hi !!! this isn't beta read bc this is simply a dimiclaude brainworm mess......

In Almyra, everyone danced. Children danced when they were happy, adults waltzed when they were stuck with sorrow. Khalid had grown up knowing that dancing was what he loved to do, and that he wanted to dance for a very long time. He taught his parents his very own dances that he had made up all by himself, and practiced the dances from Fódlan his mother taught him. He danced with his mother after she told him stories of his Grandpa in Fódlan holding grand balls for all of the lords and ladies to attend. He dreamed of dancing with all of the people of Almyra, with his mother being there too. 

But, Khalid got older and realized that dancing couldn’t fix Almyra’s problems. Khalid wasn’t liked by kids in his village for reasons he couldn’t control, no matter how hard he tried. During school with other noble children, Khalid was kicked, spat on and called names. He pleaded, asking his mother why the other children of the village were calling him a “half-breed,” like he was a wild beast. He told her that the children would put their arms up against his, and laugh, and he didn’t know what was funny. His mother looked down at him with sad eyes, bending down to hug him and tell him that she was sorry that she had put him through this.

Khalid knew his family was different. His mother was from Fódlan, and she didn’t look like all the other mothers that Khalid would meet and socialize with. His Dad, however, was just like the men of Almyra that he saw everyday. Khalid got his dad’s eyes and hair, but he had a good mix of both his mother and father’s complexions, which he very soon after figured out made him very different.

Khalid was smart; he was told that he was smart by every adult he encountered, so he knew it was wrong for those children to treat him this way for something he could not change. But, it didn’t stop and wouldn’t stop for as long as he lived, so he needed to find a way to cope. 

So, Khalid danced. He danced by himself when he realized he was different again; Shrouded in moonlight, he realized that the way his eyes were drawn to the muscles of soliders rather than the curves of songstresses. He danced with Aaliyah, his first friend and last friend in Almyra, when he broke the news that he had to assume the throne in another land for now. And, he danced in Fódlan with Hilda, who didn’t look him in the eye without needing to even state why. 

Khalid, now Claude, still loved to dance, but he had a duty to wield a bow. He found joy in that too, as it would help him relieve children like him of grief and harrasment. But, something about sending arrows through the hearts of strangers didn’t make Claude feel furfilled at all.  
Dimitri, the crown prince of Faergus whom Claude had gotten to know well just before the academy started up, found swinging weapons around like a wild bastard was a much better use of time than any waltz was. However, when Claude performed a dance that include intercate twists and turns of his body, he found that the prince was almost entraced. Claude thought it was funny, seeing how eager the boy was to see Claude do his routine again and again, but didn’t mind his eyes on him that much.

Eventually, Dimtri let Claude give him lessons, after some talk about how His Princeliness needed to lighten up, and stop focusing so much on his kingdom and the future. 

“Relax your brow, Dimitri, it’s just us two here. I’m not going to judge you if you stomp on a toe or two, so just close your eyes and listen to my count,” Claude said, left hand on Dimitri’s wait, the other holding his right hand. Claude liked seeing a more vulnerable side of people, and wondered what it would be like to hear Dimitri call him by his true name.   
“Claude, I don’t think you understand how poor I am with delecate things,” Dimitri sighed sheepishley, “I mean, I’m afraid I might trip you over, or maybe hurt you in some way, or-”  
“Just be quiet, will you? I’m going to start, just follow my lead.” Claude cut Dimitri off, slowly starting a waltz as Dimitri hastily began to focus on the movements of his feet.

Dimitri analyized every move he made to make sure it was perfect, and to make sure he wouldn’t miss a step, or a beat. If he were to be honest, Claude would tell Dimitri that he saw a lot of himself in the northern Prince. He would tell him that the way that he struggled to get a grasp on the delicate, small things in life reminded himself of the way that when Khalid was in Almyra he tried to change every small, delicate detail about who he was to make the pain hurt less. But, Claude wasn’t very honest with people back then. 

\-----

The Garreg Mach ball was a time for Claude to be Khalid right under the noses of all of his peers. It was exciting to him, being able to sneak around in plain sight with no one suspecting a thing. He danced as his teachers taught him to do back at the Almiyran academy, with sharp movements of the legs and hips, feeding off the “oohs,” and “aahs,” or his peers. He danced with several boys and girls that night, and it was the first time in a while he really felt like himself in Fódlan. 

Everyone was exhausted at the end of the festivities, even the Professor, who Claude was convinced didn’t know how to show any sign of feeling at all. Before Claude could make his way back into his dormitory, he was pulled aside by a red-faced Dimitri.

“It is a tradition for a man and a woman to spend the late hours on the night after the ball in the goddess tower, making wishes for the future. I thought that instead, we could dance. I’ve been practicing, and would like to show you the fruits of the process. If, that is, you would be willing to spend that time with me.”

It wasn’t often that Claude, or Khalid, was suprised. But, this one got him good. He chuckled, reaching out to pull Dimitri closer to his body, hands wrapped around the blonde’s waist. 

“Funny you say that, Mitya. Actually, where I grew up, it’s a tradition for lovers to dance under a full moon. Look up,” He whispered. 

Dimitri slowly brought his chin up to look at the night sky. Claude couldn’t help but stare at his blue eyes that were so beautifully illuminated in the moonlight. Dimitri smiled, and looked back into his eyes. He grabbed Claude’s hand, and the pair began to rock together slowly, mumbling to each other for the rest of the night. It reminded Khalid why he loved to dance.

**Author's Note:**

> hi !!! so sorry for any grammar/spelling mistakes i may have made, but thank u so much and questions/comments are welcome and appreciated !!! 
> 
> scream at me on twt @ddarlingdedue


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